Patentable/Patents/US-6667907
US-6667907

Semiconductor memory and method for applying voltage to semiconductor memory device

PublishedDecember 23, 2003
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

The semiconductor memory of this invention includes a memory cell, a control word line selector/deriver circuit, a well driver circuit, a source line selector/deriver circuit, a pulse generation circuit for outputting a pulse signal in injecting electrons into a floating gate of the memory cell, a first delay circuit, a second delay circuit and a third delay circuit. The control word line selector/deriver circuit changes the potential of a control word line in response to a first delay signal received from the first delay circuit, the well driver circuit changes the potential of a well in response to a second delay signal received from the second delay circuit, and the source line selector/deriver circuit changes the potential of a source line in response to a third delay signal received from the third delay circuit.

Patent Claims
6 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A semiconductor memory comprising: a semiconductor memory device including a first transistor and a second transistor formed on a well, said first transistor having a tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a drain, a source connected to a source line and a control gate connected to a control word line, said second transistor having a source, a drain connected to a data line and a gate connected to a select word line, and said drain of said first transistor being connected to said source of said second transistor; a first pulse generation circuit for outputting a pulse signal in injecting electrons into said floating gate of said first transistor; a first delay circuit for receiving said pulse signal from said first pulse generation circuit and outputting a first delay signal by delaying said pulse signal; a second delay circuit for receiving said first delay signal from said first delay circuit and outputting a second delay signal by delaying said first delay signal; a third delay circuit for receiving said second delay signal from said second delay circuit and outputting a third delay signal by delaying said second delay signal; a control word line driver circuit for changing potential of said control word line to a given voltage in response to said first delay signal received from said first delay circuit; a well driver circuit for changing potential of said well to a given voltage in response to said second delay signal received from said second delay circuit; and a source line driver circuit for changing potential of said source line to a given potential in response to said third delay signal received from said third delay circuit.

2

2. A semiconductor memory comprising: a semiconductor memory device including a first transistor and a second transistor formed on a well, said first transistor having a tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a drain, a source connected to a source line and a control gate connected to a control word line, said second transistor having a source, a drain connected to a data line and a gate connected to a select word line, and said drain of said first transistor being connected to said source of said second transistor; a second pulse generation circuit for outputting a pulse signal in extracting electrons from said floating gate of said first transistor; a fourth delay circuit for receiving said pulse signal from said second pulse generation circuit and outputting a fourth delay signal by delaying said pulse signal; a fifth delay circuit for receiving said fourth delay signal from said fourth delay circuit and outputting a fifth delay signal by delaying said fourth delay signal; a control word line driver circuit for changing potential of said control word line to a given voltage in response to said fourth delay signal received from said fourth delay circuit; and a well driver circuit for changing potential of said well to a given voltage in response to said fifth delay signal received from said fifth delay circuit.

3

3. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said gate of said second transistor is a first gate interconnect layer that is formed simultaneously with and from an identical interconnect layer with said floating gate of said first transistor.

4

4. The semiconductor memory of claim 1 or 2 , wherein said gate of said second transistor is obtained by connecting a first gate interconnect layer to a second gate interconnect layer, said first gate interconnect layer being formed simultaneously with and from an identical interconnect layer with said floating gate of said first transistor, and said second gate interconnect layer being formed simultaneously with and from an identical interconnect layer with said control gate of said first transistor.

5

5. A method for applying a voltage to a semiconductor memory device, said semiconductor memory device including a first transistor that is formed on a well and has a tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a drain, a source connected to a source line and a control gate connected to a control word line; and a second transistor that is formed on said well and has a source, a drain connected to a data line and a gate connected to a select word line, said drain of said first transistor being connected to said source of said second transistor, said method comprising, for injecting electrons into said floating gate of said first transistor: a first step of changing potential of said control word line to a given voltage; a second step of changing potential of said well to a given voltage after changing the potential of said control word line in the first step; and a third step of changing potential of said source line to a given voltage after changing the potential of said well in the second step.

6

6. A method for applying a voltage to a semiconductor memory device, said semiconductor memory device including a first transistor that is formed on a well and has a tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a drain, a source connected to a source line and a control gate connected to a control word line; and a second transistor that is formed on said well and has a source, a drain connected to a data line and a gate connected to a select word line, said drain of said first transistor being connected to said source of said second transistor, said method comprising, for extracting electrons from said floating gate of said first transistor: a first step of changing potential of said control word line to a given voltage; and a second step of changing potential of said well to a given voltage after changing the potential of said control word line in the fourth step.

Classification Codes (CPC)

Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.

Patent Metadata

Filing Date

March 25, 2003

Publication Date

December 23, 2003

Want to explore more patents?

Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.

Citation & reuse

Analysis on this page is generated by Patentable — an AI-powered patent intelligence platform. AI-generated summaries, explanations, and analysis may be reused with attribution and a visible link back to the canonical URL below. Patent abstracts and claims are USPTO public domain.

Cite as: Patentable. “Semiconductor memory and method for applying voltage to semiconductor memory device” (US-6667907). https://patentable.app/patents/US-6667907

© 2026 Patentable. All rights reserved.

Patentable is a research and drafting-assistant tool, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice. Documents we generate are drafts for review by a licensed patent attorney.